Description Géographique, Historique, Chronologique, Politique et Physique

first quarto edition

The first quarto edition, issued one year after the first in folio format, of Du Halde's 'encyclopaedic account of China' (Lust) -- and one of the earliest European sources on Chinese ceramics.

Du Halde, who became a Jesuit priest in 1708, was entrusted by his superiors to edit the published and manuscript accounts of Jesuit travellers in China. The present work records the narratives of twenty-seven of these missionaries. Also notable is the Relation succinte du voyage du capitaine Beering dans la Sibérie, which is the first published account of Vitus Bering's 1728 voyage through the eponymous straits, whose importance he failed to recognize after sighting no land.

First 4to edition; 4 vols, 4to (27.4 x 21.5 cm); text in French, title-pages printed in red and black, engraved title vignettes and head-pieces, 53 engraved plates, 17 of which folding, retaining cancel leaf 4E4 with closed binders incision, armorial bookplate to front pastedowns, a couple small tears to folding plate hinges; contemporary tree calf, gilt rolled board borders, edges, and turn-ins, flat spine in six gilt compartments with gilt contrasting red and green morocco lettering pieces, marbled endpapers, all edges yellow, professional restoration to a couple small areas of spines, else a fine set.

Brunet II 870; Cordier Sinica I, 45-48; Cox I 355; De Backer & Sommervogel IV 35; Lada-Mocarski 2; Lowendahl 398; Lust Western Books on China 12; Wickersham 6099.